Board of Elections The City of New York Annual Report 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 INTRODUCTION 02 COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTIONS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK 03 MISSION STATEMENT 04 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 05 COMMISSIONERS’ PROFILES 15 COUNSEL TO THE COMMISSIONERS 15 EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT 16 SENIOR STAFF 16 BOROUGH OFFICES 18 CANDIDATE RECORDS UNIT 22 TURNOUT SUMMARY SPECIAL ELECTION – 02/14/2017 23 TURNOUT SUMMARY SPECIAL ELECTION – 05/23/2017 24 TURNOUT SUMMARY PRIMARY ELECTION – 09/12/2017 25 TURNOUT SUMMARY GENERAL ELECTION – 11/07/2017 26 COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 29 VOTER REGISTRATION 36 ELECTION DAY OPERATIONS 48 VOTING EQUIPMENT OPERATIONS UNIT / POLL SITE MANAGEMENT 51 RAMP UNIT 52 FACILITIES OPERATIONS 53 PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT 54 ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT 58 PERSONNEL AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT 59 RECORDS MANAGEMENT/RETENTION DEPARTMENT 60 FINANCE 63 OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNCEL 65 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT (MIS) 68 PAYROLL 69 CUSTOMER SERVICE 70 BALLOT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT 71 POLL SITE DEVICES UNIT 72 ADA COORDINATORS 73 APPENDIX The Board is headed by ten Commissioners, two from each borough representing both major political parties for a term of four years appointed by the New York City Council... Board of Elections The City of New York Introduction ... A similar bipartisan arrangement of over 351 deputies, clerks and other personnel ensures that no one party controls the Board of Elections. The Board appoints an executive staff consisting of an Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director and other senior staff managers charged with the responsibility to oversee the operations of the Board on a daily basis. Together, the executive and support staffs provide a wide range of electoral services to residents in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Using your Smartphone, download a FREE QR Reader. Once downloaded, The Commissioners of Elections meet every Tuesday at the Executive open the application and click the QR Office, in addition to the special hearings, legislative sessions and code to discover the Board’s website. specific issue-oriented meetings (electronic voting, election legislation, labor management, rules and budget) during the calendar year. 1 Commissioners of Elections in the City of New York BOROUGH PARTY SIMON SHAMOUN Brooklyn Republican JOHN FLATEAU Brooklyn Democrat JOHN WM. ZACCONE Staten Island Republican MARIA R. GUASTELLA Staten Island Democrat ROBERT D. SIANO Bronx Republican ROSANNA VARGAS, SECRETARY Bronx Democrat FREDERIC M. UMANE, PRESIDENT Manhattan Republican ALAN SCHULKIN Manhattan Democrat MICHAEL MICHEL Queens Republican JOSE MIGUEL ARAUJO Queens Democrat From left to right (top row): Alan Schulkin, John Flateau, Ph.D., Michael Michel, John Wm. Zaccone, Simon Shamoun, Robert D. Siano (bottom row): Maria Guastella, Rosanna Vargas, Frederick M. Umane, Jose Miguel Araujo 2 Mission Statement The Board of Elections in the City of New York, as provided under Section 3-200 of the New York State Election Law, is responsible: 1. To conduct fair and honest elections, from local to federal levels; 2. To enfranchise all eligible New Yorkers to register to vote and to practice those rights; 3. To conduct elections, certify the canvass and to retain the official records; 4. Voter outreach and education. Briefly stated, this means: First, the preparation of the ballot for Primary, Special and General Elections to the extent that all vacancies for public office and party positions may be filled. From left to right (top row): Alan Schulkin, John Flateau, Ph.D., Second, that qualified voters may exercise their right to franchise and that Michael Michel, John Wm. Zaccone, Simon Shamoun, Robert D. Siano every opportunity be given to voters to execute that right and to vote for (bottom row): whom they choose. Maria Guastella, Rosanna Vargas, Frederick M. Umane, Jose Miguel Araujo Third, that the votes of the electorate at Primary, Special and General Elections be properly canvassed and that a true count be given for each candidate voted for. Finally, that we make every effort to inform and educate the voting public of their rights as a voter and also to reach out to all Americans to instruct them in the voting process. The following pages of this report will illustrate some of the duties as classified in the above synopsis. 3 President’s Message Wow! What a year it was. The hard-working and dedicated employees In addition, the Board of Elections continued the process of improving accessibility at the New York City Board of Elections during a busy election year provided the required by the United States District Court in order to ensure that all New York City citizens of the City of New York with two special elections, a primary election and voters freely and independently exercise the voter franchise. The Board continues its citywide general election to select a Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, the New efforts to educate the public, community groups and elected officials regarding the York City Council, several District Attorneys and Judges. Through the tireless efforts of requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act related to the voting process. senior management, Executive Director Michael Ryan, Deputy Executive Director Dawn Sandow, Administrative Manager Pamela Perkins and Operations Manager Georgea Next year there are two primaries and a general election to Kontzamanis, the Board conducted these fair, open, transparent and honest elections. elect a Governor, the entire New York State legislature, a United States Senator, our entire delegation to the The New York City Board of Elections began 2017 with a governmental education House of Representative and various judges. In addition effort with the New York State Legislature to encourage the legislators to pass new several special elections are expected. laws to enlarge, clarify and simplify the ballot. We are working to have many of these changes implemented in 2018. The annual report will detail many of the advancements made during the year and highlights our goal of making The thousands of poll workers who conduct the elections are truly under-appreciated the voting process fair and efficient for all voters. We beacons of liberty. Our poll workers start their election day at 5:00 a.m., opening the encourage all interested parties to visit our website, polls and work until 10:00 or 11:00 p.m., closing the polls and tabulating the votes. The www.vote.nyc for more information including various Commissioners salute their efforts on behalf of the citizens of our city. We encourage appendices not included in this printed version. all those wishing to participate in the political process to become a poll worker and perform this much needed service for our great democracy. Respectfully Submitted, Some of the Board’s major accomplishments during 2017 included: • implementing a new computerized sign-in and assignment system for Stand-by poll workers; Frederic M. Umane, President for Year 2017 • recruiting High School poll workers through the BOE’s High School Recruitment Program providing approximately 275 new young technically savvy poll workers; • expanding its advertising campaign to recruit more poll workers resulting in posters in over 14,000 subway, buses and bus shelters throughout all five boroughs; • continuing our voter outreach efforts to register new eligible voters, recruit poll workers and educate the public about the election process; • updating the Board website and further development of applications for smart phones and computers to provide voters with candidate and voting location information; • developing and enhancing the Election Night tally procedure utilizing portable memory sticks and the latest approved technology to provide almost immediate unofficial election returns on Election nights and providing periodic updates throughout the night; • encouraging further utilization by poll workers of tablets for monitoring poll sites and confirming compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements at poll sites; and • introducing enhanced cyber-security updates to avoid outside interference with the election events. 4 Brooklyn SIMON SHAMOUN, Commissioner Simon Shamoun is the New York City Board of Election’s Republican representative from Brooklyn, appointed by the New York City Council in 2013. The son of immigrants, Mr. Shamoun is a product of both public and private schools including P.S. 104, Monsignor Farrell High School, Pace University and CUNY School of Law. Mr. Shamoun is a partner at the law firm of Kampessis & Shamoun, representing clients in real estate and business matters and is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey and in the Southern and Eastern District Courts of New York. Mr. Shamoun serves on the board of directors at the St. Nicholas Home adult residence in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and is also a board member of the Salaam Club of New York, a charitable organization. 5 Brooklyn JOHN FLATEAU, Commissioner Dr. John Flateau is a Commissioner of the NYC Board Of Elections. He is a Professor of Public Administration and Political Science; and Director, Census Information Center at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. He was Chief of Staff and campaign coordinator for Mayor David Dinkins; Senior Vice President, Empire State Development Corp.; Executive Director, NYS Black, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus; and instructor, District Council 37 AFSCME. He is a Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration; member, National Conference of Black Political